Adjustable stop finger unit for reversible sprinklers



Marci; 15, -1960 J- A. ROYER ADJUSTABLE STOP FINGER UNIT EOR REVERSIBLE SPRINKLERS Filed July 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

United StatesPatent ADJUSTABLE s'roP FINGER UNrr non REVERSIBLE SPRINKLERS John A. Royer, Fresno, Calif., assignor ,to Buckner Manufacturing Company, Inc., Fresno, Calif., a corporation of California Applicatie July 2s, 195s, serial No. 751,372 9 Claims. (cl. 239-230) than 360 degrees, whereby to sprinkle less than a full circle area.

A sprinkler of the type to which the present invention is adapted is shown in United States Patent No. 2,816,798, and includes a rotary sprinkler unit having lreversing mechanism thereon, and a stationary mountV on which the sprinkler unit is turnable. Such mechanism isrethe lower end of the spindle 4 projecting below said mounting sleeve 5 and there being formed with a radial shoulder 6. A washer assembly surrounds the spindle e between the radial shoulder 6 and the lower end of said sleeve; such assembly including vertically spaced rubberv washers 7 having a plastic washer 8 therebetween. The

spindle 4 is maintained against downward displacement in the mounting sleeve 5 in the manner as will herein@ after appear.

Such mounting sleeve 5 isA threaded at its lower end,

. as at 9, so that such sleeve may be threadingly engagedl with the upper end of a water supply standpipe (not shown) which may be of either stationary or portable type. Above the threaded portion 9 of the sleeve 5, the latter is formed with a nut 10 to which a wrench may be. applied. y The reversible sprinkler unit 2 includes reversing'mechanism shown in part at 11, and which mechanism is responsive to a horizontally and reversibly swingable arm structure 12 pivoted at one end in connection with a boss 13 held in standolf relation to the head 3 by a bracket 14. .From the boss 13, the arm structure 12 sponsive to movement of a generally Ahorizontally andl reversibly swingable trigger pin depending from the rotary sprinkler unit adjacent butV clear of the mount, and the latter supporting a pair of outwardlyprojecting circumferentially spaced stop ngers between which the trigger pin travels upon rotation of such sprinkler unit. Upon the trigger pin being engaged and relatively moved by each stop linger, such mechanism is caused to function and reverses the direction of travel of the sprinkler unit.

The stop lingersareadjustable to alter thecircumferlential spacing thereof whereby to predetermne the arcl of travel of the sprinkler unit, and it is the primary Vobject of the present invention to provide a -novel' stop linger unit, for the purpose described, wherein the circumfer` entially spaced stop lingers are readily and conveniently manually adjustable yet normally positively maintained in set position and against accidental rotational displacement.

It is also an object of the invention to provide ajn adjustable stop linger unit which. is designed for ease and economy of manufacture ofv the components; simplicity of assembly; and long trouble-free service.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangementl of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specilication and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an vautomatically reversible--v rotary type sprinkler embodying the present invention; the adjustable stop linger unit being shown-in full lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the adjustable stop linger unit and adjacent or related parts of the sprinklerunit mount.. I *A l 4 Fig. 3 is a" sectional plan view .taken'on line 3-3 ofFig. 2. Referring now more particularly to thevdra'wings and tothe characters of reference .marked thereon, theadjustable stop linger unit, hereinafter described in detail, is indicated generally atl I and is shown as arranged `on an' automatically reversible'sprinkler having a` rotary sprinkler unit 2 illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. l. Such sprinkler unit-2 includesA a rotary, water passage head 3 threaded at itsv lowerend onto the upper end lof a tubular 'depending' spindle 4.

The spindle 4 extends downwardly in rotatable relationthrougha' lixed tubular-body or mounting sleeve `5;

extends in clearance relation and to the oppositeside of the rotary head 3, and such arm structure is provided, at the end opposite saidboss 13, with a depending trigger pin 15. Such trigger pin is disposed adjacent'but outwardly of the upper portion of the mounting sleevev 5;v

A vertical collar 16which Vcomprises a primary element of the stop linger unit l-surrounds the mounting sleeve 5 above the nut 10, and such collar normally rests, at its lower end, on an upwardly facing annular shoulder 17 formed on such sleeve. t

Starting at apoint above the'shoulder 17, the tubulary spindleffl is decreased `in outside diameter while the 'coli lar' 16:"is increased ininside diameter whereby to forirl an annular pocket 18 open to the upper end of said collar- 16. Short of the bottom of the annular pocket 18 the collar 16 "is internally shouldered, as at 19, and a stop washer 20 rests on such shoulder 19 in surrounding rela.y tion tothe spindle 4. l t

The washer 20 1 provides a bottom Vstop for a helicalv compression spring 21 disposed in the annular pocket'f 18 in surrounding relation to the adjacent portion of thel spindle 4; such compression spring 21 extending above thel upper end of the'collar 16 and bearing against-a metallic washer 22 which in turn engages a plastic washer 23. The plastic washer 23 abuts the lower` end of the rotary head 3 to permit of non-dragging rotation of the latter; the plastic washer 8 between the rubber washers 7 likewise permitting the spindle 4 to relatively freely'rotate withV said head 3.

By reason of the above described assembly, the tubular spindle 4 is maintained-under the force of the cornpression spring zl-against downward displacement in the mounting sleevejS and with` the adjacent washers 7 Vand 8, and Z2 and 23, in proper engagement.

pression of spring 21 until the detent escapes the groove.

" The collar 16 is formed-at its upper end-f-with'an annular radially outwardly projecting gear-like liange"26,

' while a similar flange 427 is provided on`the lower'endf of' said collar; the' lliangesA 26 and 2'7 thus' providing 1a plurality of vertically opening circumferentially spaced notches, the upper notches being indicated at 28 and the lower notches at 29. Y

An upper- .ring `3l) and a lower ring-31 surround the ing a collar lsurrounding the sleeve, ieans between the sleeve and collar normally preventing rotation of the latter, annular anges projecting outwardly from the collar in vertically spaced relation, a pair of rings on the collar between the anges, a helical compression spring on thegcollar between `the rings, the spring normally urging the rings against the adjacent flange, each ring having one of the stop fingers radiating therefrom, and manually releasable latch means between Veach ring and the adjacent ange.

9. A device, as in claim 8, in which the means between the sleeve and collar comprises an inwardly extending detent on `the latter, the sleeve having a relatively short vertical groove in which the detent normally seats, the

6 Sleeve being of reduced diameter above the groove s that the latter is open at its upper end, the collar being slidable upwardly on the sleeve to cause escape of the detent from said groove, and a compression spring on the sleeve between the sprinkler unit and collar yieldably resisting such upward movement of the collar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,228,720 Coles et al. Jan. 14, 1941 2,674,492 Scuito Apr. 6, 1954 2,816,798 Royer Dec. 17, 1957 

